Let common sense and truth guide you in life.

My Bid for the Presidency

My name is R. K. Bishop. Today, from my sick bed, I am announcing my candidacy for President of the United States (US).

I am of age, born in the US, and meet the citizen and age requirements. Lately, I began to realize that no candidate with a legal degree, business experience, or political background exists to perfectly represent 98% of America. I am infinitely better than most of the Congressional body that only represents the top 2%. Furthermore, I am announcing the formation of a new political party.

As a voter, I do not affiliate with the current two party system. The Democratic and Republican parties no longer stand for the interests of the poor, working poor, and the middle class citizens. Most Democrats give into their frustration and have stopped fighting for the health and well-being of the American people. Some are Democrats in Name Only (DINOs) who will vote with the tyrannical Republicans to keep their salaries and benefits following upcoming elections. Republicans are interested in money and power, which has them pandering to their religiously extremist base and their greedy corporate donors.

While I could run as an Independent, I feel America needs a new party, a third option that stands behind basic facts. A party that places the inalienable rights and well-being of Americans first. My party is the Common Sense Party.

I can write a litany of promises, everything I would do on the first day in the Presidential office simply repeating Mitt Romney’s favorite line in his 2014 bid. During the course of several speeches, Romney promised to change the American way of life on his hypothetical first day in office.

Yet, in the heat of a general election, candidates often forget, or would like the American people to forget, our government is a Democracy and not a Dictatorship. (Lately, it has turned into an Oligarchy – a government controlled by the uber-rich). A majority from the House of Representatives and Senate pass proposed legislation, and the President signs it into law.

Aside from signing laws into the fabric of American society, the President can suggest laws and fight to get certain laws passed. That is what I promise to do: suggest and fight for the passage of laws.

The following list is a brief sample of the laws I will champion. In later posts, I will introduce more laws and detail each idea.

First, I will fight to strengthen the Wall Street regulations championed by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D- Massachusetts). While many important issues need immediate attention, we need to control those who would squander our money and prey on the weak. We must stop the two key causes (i.e., consumer debt and risky financial practices) of the Great Recession from happening in the future. We must end Too Big to Fail banks and their monopolies returning to smaller, manageable factions. Credit card companies and bank interest rates must accept federal regulations or they will continue to create an undue financial burden to the consumer. Financial institutions like JP Morgan will never receive tax payer money to bail them out of their own financial messes, especially when the corporate bailout money was used for CEO golden parachutes, bonuses, and vacations.

Second, I will fight to close tax loopholes for the wealthy and corporations. Taxing the top 2% of American earners and big corporations would allow the government to strengthen social safety net programs for the most vulnerable citizens. Senior citizens and the disabled should have enough money to pay for life sustaining utilities, vital medications, and an adequate food supply. The unemployed should never worry over the starvation of their families because of insufficient unemployment compensation as they search for gainful employment.

Third, I will fight to raise the national minimum wage to a living wage that will increase with the cost of living. If a citizen finds full- or part-time employment, it should be sufficient to support their families, reduce their dependency on social safety net programs, and increase local economies.

Fourth, I will fight for affordable education. America should have Universal Childcare and K-12 education. Many nationwide schools offer fee waivers for needy families. Yet, education should be free for families of all incomes. Hence, money normally spent on education would be spent on extracurricular activities, which provide many enhanced academic and psychological benefits to the students. The Federal Government would pay for the first four years of college tuition for students who maintain at least a 2.5 GPA. The money does not need to be paid back if the student has completed a four year degree. If a student wishes to continue their education, student loans will be available at extremely low interest rates in addition to grants and fellowships. All internships will be minimum wage employment rather than free labor.

Sixth, I will fight for mandatory paid family leave, maternity leave, sick leave, and vacation time. As a nation, we should expect reasonable leave when we have immediate relatives depending on us, are sick, or to recuperate from injury without the added worry of wage and job loss. Currently, fast food and restaurant workers will work while sick since they are paid on an hourly basis. If they do not work, they do not receive a salary. They are likely to pass their illnesses to paying customers. Maternity leave is essential for the health and safety of the mother and her unborn child. Plus, the first six months of a child’s life is important to establish a bond with the parents meaning that maternity leave will be offered to both parents. Mental health is as important as physical health. Paid vacations are necessary to help reduce stress, which can consequently affect physical health. A healthy workforce is a more productive workforce.

Seventh, I will fight for restructuring the American Healthcare System and Universal Healthcare. Restructuring the healthcare system is daunting, but something that our society desperately needs. As it stands, the health of the American people are primarily in the hands of investors of the insurance and health industry. Their mandatory bottom line removes medical decisions from the doctors working directly with their patients and gives authority to people with no medical background (e.g., insurance companies). A Universal Healthcare system (or single-payer system) is a big step towards repairing the system and ensures that patients do not have to choose between dying or living their life under a financially debilitating medical debt.

Eighth, I will fight to reduce the defense budget and redirect the funds to house the homeless. America spends more in defense than the next thirteen countries combined. That is 20% of our national budget. Redirecting a portion of that funding will go a long way in providing and building homes for the homeless. In addition, 12% of America’s homeless are veterans. In an advanced society, no one should be homeless.

Ninth, I will fight to protect the health of sustainable natural resources. I will work to reform the 1872 Mining Law by ending the billions in subsidies companies receive and establish fair royalties that they have never paid. All government revenue from mining operations will fund abandoned hard rock reclamation costs. I will place a permanent moratorium on hydraulic fracturing (i.e., fracking). Also, I will strengthen and vigorously enforce all environmental laws and tirelessly work to improve them. Responsible stewardship is in the best interests of our national security and survival on this planet.

Finally, I will fight for infrastructure. Our nation’s roads and bridges are subpar. The U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has rated almost 200,000 bridges or one of every 3 bridges in the U.S., as structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. Furthermore, investing in far reaching, reliable, and fast public transportation will drastically reduce the need for constant road and bridge upkeep while reducing the country’s carbon footprint and increasing the health of our ecosystems.

America once led the world in education and innovation. It is time we do it again.